Campaign of the Month:
November 2016

X-Com: Defiance

MY CONVENTIONSCHEDULE: DAYTHREE
By Erin Lethal-E!
Sunday:
-0535: Sleep in (thought yesterday my life was over but NO! And I love my con buddies!!!!)
-0536: Shower and make new costume.
-0605: Finish costume.
-0735: Wake up con buddies (they deserve some extra sleep. I want to be like them!). Get them “disguises”.
-0800: Treat con buddies to whatever breakfast they want!
-0900: Wander, take pics, kill time before Nexus. Woot!
-1000: Begin Nexus LARP. (We are soooo going to kick the drek out of everyone!)
-1600: End LARP, claim tournament prize.
-1603: Victory dance! (Maybe some face rubbing-in)
-1610+, Anything we want because we’ll be WINNAHS!!!!

MY CONVENTIONSCHEDULE: DAYONE
By Erin
Friday:
-0500: I love military time!GET UP!!! (And wake up Aaron, no matter how grouchy he is.)
-0501: Shower and put on Costume #1 (in that order, no repeat of last year).
-0630: (hopefully) Finish putting costume on, final stuff check. (Don’t forget bottles of MegaBoost Cola)
-0700: Wake up Con-Buddies (YAY!) and start exploring, maybe breakfast.
-1000: First game of the day, GP: ROBO. Gonna play the drek out of this!
-1400: Wander halls, look good (take pics w/ Con Buddies and let peeps take pics of my wiz costume!)
-1500: Dealer Hall, play demo games! (Check on Gunshots and Ladders, SQUEE!!!)
-2000: Food? Look for pick-up games (if Aaron isn’t too grumpy).
-2100: Sneak into Three-Legged Centaur for “drinks” (even though Aaron will be grumpy at using gifts to get in).
-2300(ish): See if there are any room parties (look for that “Scotch Squad” group, we’re so bad)!

According to the paydata your fixer provided, the meet takes place in an online virtual gaming site called Battle Grid! at 1900 tomorrow. Attached to the location is a temporary logon and password, along with instructions to meet in the “chat/assembly area” (a.k.a. the Pit) of a game called Bad CARma: Desert Zombie Holocaust! Your contact is suspiciously not calling themselves Mr. Johnson, but rather “Lambda-3”.

How about that? Mr. Johnson is a gamer.

After a quick trip through a couple Matrix grids, you log on and, thanks to the directory, find yourself in the virtual “racing pit” area, waiting for the current game to end. According to the game’s leader board, Lambda-3 is in the lead.

A virtual window allows everyone to watch the game in progress. It takes place in a rocky desert, where several highly modified off-road vehicles blast away at each other with a myriad of weapons including: machine guns, rockets, jury-rigged weapons (such as catapults, ballistae, and welded-on melee weapons). All the while dodging—or in some cases, going right through—obstacles and/or hordes of undead. You watch as Lambda-3 cuts hard to the left, hood-blade cleaving clean through a dozen undead, sending gore and body parts flying. He then turns another car into a fireball with a well-placed rocket shot.

The match comes to an end with Lambda-3 ahead by over a thousand points and a dozen kills. All the remaining cars/players re-spawn in the pit, awaiting a new game. Another virtual window opens, and you see old and new names shuffle into open player slots for the next the game—except for Lambda-3

A man in a suit that’s a cross between a racing suit and Viking armor then walks up to you. He removes his horned racing helmet and smiles. “Hey chummers, sorry for the wait, the game ran a bit long. Why don’t you come into my virtual garage and we can talk some business.”

Summer absolutely sucks in Cape Town. Even worse than New Delhi. At least there I can get decent sherbet.

I plop down in my comfy chair, praying to all that is sacred that the ancient A/C unit in the window holds out until after the next job because the humidity outside is downright deadly. The local news channels are saying things like “record heat waves” and “no end in sight.” Well, for now the air conditioning is holding up and I have more than enough cred left over from the DocWagon job for a six pack of Kingfisher. Not as good as Kalyani Black, but I’ll take whatever the local shop can manage to import. I pop the top off another frosty bottle and down almost half before I hear the sound I never, ever, wanted to hear: the coughing and death-throws of the bloody A/C unit.

Oh frag…

Then, as if the universe is in on the great cosmic joke that is my life, the commlink goes off; Grayson’s number flashes and his smiling visage looks back at me from the small screen. With my beer (and doss) rapidly warming, I accept the incoming call.

“Hoi there, Jax! Look, just got an unusual job request from a contact I’d hoped would never bother me again. Almost didn’t take the call, but my nuyen detector outweighed my common sense. Anyway, not to scare you off but my old <sigh> acquaintance put me in touch with a Mr. Johnson who’s got an interesting job offer. Simple babysitting gig, and should be easy money. But … you’ll need to talk to Johnson for more details. And no, this isn’t some kind of setup. Your work at the farm made me think of you and your group.

“It’s just that this job may be … Okay, I can’t even say it, just go talk to Mr. J. and see for yourself. You’ll know him as ‘Lambda-3’ once you get there. Trust me; you’ll know it when you see it. If you want the job, fine, cred is cred. If not, I’d understand, but it’s a virtual meet. I’ll send you the Matrix address and instructions if you want to check it out. So are you up for it?”

I sigh inwardly while giving the fixer my best smile. “Haan jee, Gray. We can at least listen to what the Johnson has to say. I’ll let the others know about the meet.”

I swipe the call away and chug the rest of the Kingfisher, staring at the now smoking A/C unit.

Maybe I should have taken Brian up on his offer to share a better place…

“Good deal, information incoming,” your fixer says as your ’link indicates a received message. “Just remember, this may not be your standard run, but keep an open mind. Oh and are you okay? It looks like you’re really starting to sweat, you aren’t coming down with anything?”

“Hi Priya, I just finished the initial therapy session with that kid we rescued. He should be fine, physically at least, but it looks like he may be exhibiting some post-traumatic effects from the kidnapping and pushing off the third floor of the building. He is being transferred to Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital once his physical wounds are healed. They specialize in child psychology, so it is probably the best place for him. Apparently his parents are demanding on an armed escort in case someone tries to kidnap him again. Not sure if it will be us transferring him, guess that will depend on whether they feel he is ready for transfer by the time our shift is up in a couple days. Do you guys know where you’ll be stationed next?”

I shrug, not having to pretend to feel as tired as she looks.

“To be honest, right now I don’t really care. After that last stretch of calls, I’m probably just going to sleep and eat carbs for a week before I even call my family.”

The redhead grunts in agreement as she drops into the lounge chair near the desk.

I continue, staring up at the ceiling to give the impression of contemplating life. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go back to private work with the guys. They’re pretty good at troubleshooting and helping people out when they need… unconventional solutions.”

“Expert Team Three! Expert Team Three! Report to ambulance 844-01! Crisis on Green and Queen Victoria! Expert Team Three! Report to Report to ambulance 844-01 immediately!”

I wake up to the blare. Great think I got about 20 minutes sleep after calming my nerves from the last call and grabbing a bite from the delivered ‘za. I grab my gear, my jacket, start for the door but quickly realize I forgot the stupid DocWagon baseball cap. Where is the damn thing… oh right, I’m wearing it. I run to the Citymaster and promptly fall asleep again. I hear some voices in the background a minute or two later.

“Most of the few people I can see are lying still on the floor – it looks like the cock tree paralyzed them when they escaped…”

I kind of shake my head to wake up a bit and turn to André, “Cock tree? What the hell?”

He kind of grins at my groggy misunderstanding, “Cockatrii. I’m guessing it is the plural form of Cockatrice which is a big genetically modified chicken.”

“I’m really hoping they don’t fly”, I shut my eyes again until the van comes to a stop just outside of a big warehouse.

Alan rushes out to a side door and waits for the rest of the team to approach. I cast my fly spell and follow. A few seconds later, Alan and I burst in. He rushes to the far side of the room where one of our clients lies paralyzed. He shoots a couple that have become interested in him with gel rounds. I try to remain mostly motionless on one of the stacks of crates as I start moving all the paralyzed folks to the door one by one. I hear the sounds of gel rounds and tasers going off by the door we’d come in. It seems like Sanjay got hit. He’s fallen to the ground right behind Jax. It might just be my imagination but he seems to have a slight smile on his face. Guess he’s enjoying the view of Jax’s curvaceous ass in her tight pants.

We manage to save all but one the warehouse workers. But we did successfully rescue our two clients and the lady who called. Jax managed to talk a few of them into becoming clients. Who knows if they’ll actually end up signing up or not.

While Jax is talking to one of the patients, I turn to the back of the ambulance where Sanjay, still paralyzed, sits. I tell him, he may as well grab a bit of sleep. None of us have had much recently. I reach over and close his eyes.

“…and I was starting to lose my grip around his chest”, I hear Alan say, “I was slipping down and grabbed on to his belt. I can’t say hanging on to a flying person is my favorite mode of transportation and I saw a little more of that man’s posterior than I would have wanted.”

André is trying to keep from chuckling.

Once we get back to DocWagon, we all head inside. Sanjay still isn’t feeling all that well and heads to the washroom to clean up a little bit. I’m talking with Gavin the homosexual dispatcher that Jax had tried getting some information out of.

“What do you think of the new management at Navigaytion?”, I ask.

“I don’t think the night club will ever be the same. I miss Cardel. He had style.”

As Sanjay exits the washroom, both Gavin and I turn. Gavin breaks out in laughter and says, “That’s bold!!”

Sanjay looks puzzled. He looks at Gavin then at me and sees my smirk. He turns and heads right back into the washroom, looks in the mirror and sees on his forehead, “I ♥ cock” underneath in much smaller letters “tree”.

I lean back and close my eyes, going for the impression of holding back another dramatic sigh.

“Oh, nothing really.”

Viv shrugs amiably and rolls back to the middle of the bunk, seeming content to let the matter drop.

Oh, no you don’t!

“Say Viv? Do the higher ups make a big deal about team members… hooking up?”

She rolls back to look down at me, a mischievous grin on her face.

“You asking about one of the guys? Or just about Andy looking for an introduction to your friend?”

I don’t have to be acting to laugh at that. “At least if he’s fending off a horny dispatcher he’ll have less time to leer at me.”

She shrugs and smiles. “I don’t know. He’s not too bad for a computer nerd. You asking about Gordon, Seth or Shawn?”

I shrug, trying to give the impression of being really interested but pretending not to care.

“Well, you should stay away from Gordon. He plays too hard on his off time and you probably don’t want to get into that scene. Seth’s a bit too intense on the spiritual stuff for most, but he’s a good guy. Shawn’s quiet and hard to get to know. Might not be too concerned about the ladies though.”

I pretend to be disappointed by the last piece of news and stay quiet long enough to allow for a natural shift in subject. I put on a light, playful tone to ask the pointed question I’ve been aiming for.

“Expert Team Three! Expert Team Three! Report to ambulance 844-01! Crisis on Green and Queen Victoria! Expert Team Three! Report to Report to ambulance 844-01 immediately!”

Shawn, the team’s rigger as usual rushes to the driver’s side, while Gordon yells “Shotgun suckers!” and jumps in the front passenger seat while the rest of you pile into the back. Shortly after you are heading toward the destination.

“Hey terps,” Gordon says over the intercom. “Delicate situation coming up. I’ll patch this client through to the back so you can hear for yourselves what’s going on.”

The intercom crackles, and then a woman’s voice whispers, “Hello? Um…my name is Gloria Duma. I’m a personal assistant for Peter Barnsworth. He has a DocWagon bracelet, so I guess I’m calling for him too. I can’t see him from where I am, but…”

After a slight pause, she continues, her words gathering speed as she goes. “We work for Parashield Incorporated – the company trains and sells genetically modified security animals to private corporations. Mr. Barnsworth sold some trained cockatrii to Re.. a private corporation, and they were transferred here for shipment, but somehow there was a mix-up and the warehouse never received the authorized forms. We got here about half an hour ago to get everything squared away, and had to do all the forms all over again.”

There is an other paused then she continues “So we started signing and filling out everything, then then a few minutes ago I realized I’d forgotten to call home and let my husband know that he should eat without me. So I was on my way back from my car to get my phone when there was this horrible noise and then a whole lot of squawking. Of course, I knew that the last thing you want to do around our animals is run away – they’re trained to chase and attack if you do – so I climbed up on one of the crates real fast. I think I twisted my ankle. We need help, fast.”

“Any questions questions for the lady terps?” Gordon asks

“Just to clarify ma’am, No one is actually hurt, aside from perhaps, maybe a twisted ankle. You are requesting Doc Wagon because your bracelet is your only method of communication to the outside and you are have emergency? Did you want us to call Lone Star or Knight Errant or maybe the dog pound?” Allan asks

“I’ve just gotten the feed for Mr. Barnsworth bio-monitor. It is showing some sort of toxin in the blood stream.” Interrupts Gordon

“Listen, there are fifty of these things loose in here, plus me and Mr. Barnsworth and some workers and the foreman. Most of the few people I can see are lying still on the floor – it looks like the cockatrii paralyzed them when they escaped. Besides me, there is only one other person up on the crates and he’s too far away for me to talk to. I have to be quiet or else I might startle them and a stampede is the last thing we need right now.”

“You’d better get here quick. When we get ready to ship these birds, they’re injected with a mild sedative to keep them calm. Makes them as tame as chickens. Except I think it’s starting to wear off. If they shake off the drug and see all these people lying around, I’m afraid they may start eating them. Oh and don’t hurt them when you get here; Parashield puts at least fifty thousand into training each of these things. They’ll probably hold you responsible for compensation if the cockatrii are hurt or killed, but I’d have to check with our legal department to know for sure…”

You’re drawing near the dock now, and you can hear gunshots coming from the far end. The shots don’t seem to be moving your way, but you’re a little worried about them nonetheless. A warehouse full of genetically engineered cockatrii and some unknown folks with guns…just another DocWagon HTR run. Good thing you can count on the Citymaster’s big guns.

Lone Star Security reported an upswing in missing persons over the last couple months. Detective Lucas Niles of Lone Star reported that monthly reports of missing persons were up 300 percent over a similar period last year. Many of the missing persons are reported to be from the poor and homeless living in the Cape Town tunnels.

“We will get around to looking into the disappearance of the missing homeless, but resources are stretched thin.” said Niles. “In the meantime I would suggest staying away from the tunnels during the night as most of these disappearances have occurred over night.”

Ehran to Address Young Technologists

Ehran, the famous essayist and Pulitzer Prize winner, will address a meeting of the Young South African Technologists next month. Ehran, known best for his three volume study, Mankind Ascendant, has been a long time supporter of the national Young South African Technologists. This will be his first appearance in Cape Town.

Ares Announces Project Hope

Ares’ subsidary Inazagi is in the news once again. Following last weeks announcement that they won the City’s water purification contract, the company announced the purchase of various plots of land to help Cape Town’s poor and homeless find skills, work and a sense of purpose.

Jonathan Tung, the Director of Communications for Project Hope:

“Here at Project Hope, Cape Town’s poor and homeless will find more than just the bare necessities of survival, such as three nourishing meals a day and shelter over your head. These things may keep you from dying, but they hardly constitute the requirements for meaningful human life. Here at Project Hope, they will have a chance to understand they are a valuable member of a community that loves them and wants only the best for them. Education in various fields will be offered by our skilled instructors. Here in Project Hope, they will be given some things that I fear many have forgotten, if indeed they ever knew them: a loving community and hope for a bright future.”

ENTERTAINMENTBUZZ

Lottery Results

This week’s results, as drawn by the computer on Thursday were 12-14-19-07-04-17. The bonus number was 07. However, the Big Bucks Bonus Blow-Out drawing was cancelled for the fifth week in a row due to computer tampering.

CapeCon

CapeCon South Africa’s largest gaming and cosplay convention is set to celebrate it’s 10th anniversary next month. Galactic Patrol:
R.O.B.O.-Warrior Force, 7th Edition is set for an exclusive official release at CapeCon. Come dressed as your favorite Trid or RPG characters. And of course no CapeCon would be complete without the Nexus LARP, THE multigenre/franchise live action role playing event of the year!

What’s New On the Trid

Neil the Orc Barbarian 6th season is released this Monday. Subscribe for the new episodes of Neil and Danlis.

Karl Kombatmage – Shadowrunning Karl is back for a 4th season this Thursday.

The Expendables 13: Cyberzombies – Stallone and the gang return as Cyberzombies. You can’t keep a good man or a bad franchise down!